Holding and releasing device for electrical instruments.



H. B. TAYLOR.

HOLDING AND RELEASING DEVICE FOR ELECTRICAL INS. RUMENTS.

APPLICATION TILED AUG.16.1910.

1,008,571, Pa1ented N0v.14, 1911.

fly. I

min eases In venior fliiorney UNITED STATES PATENT O FFIOE.

HERBERT B. TAYLOR, OF ALB ANY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO FED] lBAL SIGNAL COM- PANY, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION,

HOLDING AND BELEASING DEVICE FOR ELECTRICAL INSPRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patent (1 Nov. 14, 1911.

Application lllcd August 16, 1910. Serial No. 577,446.

My invention relates to holding and re-.

leasing devices for electrical instruments,

and the object of my invention is to providea new and useful improvement in devices for sustaining electrical instruments, armatures and the like against shock and derangement, together with such other elements and combinations as are hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed.

This improvement relates to that class of electrical instruments in which a movable member is pivoted to the mechanism'and which is adapted to become, misplaced, deranged or broken during transit. Moreover, this improvement relates to such instruments as are hermetically sealed before.

shipment, articularly relays of the inclosed type. ,Suc relays are generally constructed with a pivoted armature on which are.

mounted one or more contact fingers, which are delicately adjusted before the instrument is sealed. These contact fingers are constantly gettin out of adjustment during shi ment, ma ing itnecesary to 'break the sea and readjust the parts, andas man -ufacturers will not be responsible for damaged instruments if the seals are broken, it is very often necessary to return such damaged instruments to the makers which is a source of annoyance, delay and of considarable ex ense.

The ObJBClL of this invention therefore is to grovide means for fpreventing the shifting f movable parts the instrument during transit and of removin the said means after the instrumentis insta led. and at the same time still leaving the, instrument hermetially sealed. The following specification alipplementcd by the accompanying draw mg plainly describes and illustrates such a device.

Figure 1 of the drnwingillustrates my Improvement attached to a relay such as used in railway signaling and is constructed With a metal base plate. Fig. 2 illustrates mv improvement attaclu d to a similar t po of relay but which is in closed with a g ass bottom or shield. Fig. 3 illustrates how the supporting device .a )peirs after releasing the moving parts an th 2 relay is in service.

Similar numbers refer to' similar partsthrou hout the several v iews.

In th types of relay the same device is ap licable and although I have shown it on v as applied to relay 5, I do not wish to be limited in its use to his class-of instrument.

In Fig. 1, 1, is thebottom or base plate of the relay,'2 is the rela; top plate on which is mounted-the coils, 3, and the insulated binding posts, 4, 5 and 6. 7, is a trans parent glass frame inclos ing the parts which are mounted on the und ir side of the relay top, 2, and separating th e base plate, 1, and the top plate, 2. These )asc and top plates are suitably secured together with suitable screws which are so iled after the relay has been tested and ac justed. Two pole pieces, 8, of the magnets 3, project through the top plate, 2. To these pole pieces is attached the yoke, 9, on which are formed two In 10, an armature, .11, is hinged at joint, 12, on these lugs, 10, and is adapted to move toward and away form the pole pieces, 8. Pins, 13, are fixed in the polepieces, 8, 'o prevent the 'armature, 11, from comii in' contact with the said pole pieces. Si ,ltably mounted on the armature, 11, are cm or more fingers such as,'14. These fingei s are supplied with an up r and lower wipe r, 15, and 16, which are a apted to engage t] to upper and lower contact buttons, 17 and 18." -An ordinary machine screw 19 passes through the tapped hole, 20, in the base plat e, 1. This screw is provided with aslot, 21, at its lowerend so that it can be turned from the outside of the' relay inclosure. A V or other shaped notch, 22, is turned-in tt e screw, 19, a short distance below its head. This notch is cut at a point below the strew head equal to the thickness of the base plate at po1nt,-23, for a purpose that will be explained later. A washer, 24, of leathel or rubber may be placed under the head ii desired, but is not shiftin the screw, 19, is threaded through the ta ped hole, 20, any suitable distance, say he f its length, after which the rela is adjusted, tested and hermetically s'eale The screw, 19, is then screwed upward by means of the slot, 21, until its head or upper end is brought in contact with the under side of the armature, 11. The armature, 11, is then forced firmlv against the stop pin, 13, thus holding t e said armature and all the arts at 'tached thereto rigidly in position w ich will prevent the said armature and parts from during shipment. After the screw is so a justed the jam nut, 25, on the under side of the base plate, 1, is ti htened up, thus preventing the screw, 19, rom becoming loose. After the relay is installed and ready to be put in service, the jam nut, 25, is removed and the screw, 19, is unscrewed by means of the slot, 21, with an ordinary screw driver. After a few turns of the screw, 19, the armature, 11, will be released allowing it to swing freely on its trunnions or hinges, 12. The screw, 19, may if desired remain in this position, but as it might through thoughtlessness be again screwed up against the armature, I consider that it would be more practical to prevent this. I therefore prefer that the screw, 19, be screwed downward until the head or the washer, 24, comes firmly in contact with the boss, 23, of the base plate, 1. After the head has forced the washer, 24, down tight still more pressure is exerted on the screw by means of a screw driver or a pair of pliers until the long end of the said screw breaks off at the notch, 22, which is the weakest point in the said screw. After the screw, 19, is thus broken off, as shown in Fig. 3. it is obvious that the portion which remains firmly screwed into the base plate, 1, cannot again be moved unless the seals of the relay are broken and the screw removed from the inside of the inclosure. It will also be seen that the tapped hole, 20, is perfectly sealed up preventing any tampering with the moving parts of the relay.

Fi 2 represents a glass inclosed relay in whic 1, is the inclosing case or bottom. In this type of relay, however, it is necessary to thread the armature supporting screw, 19, through the top plate, as it is not practicable to arrange it in the glass, 1, and as it is impossible to directly force the armature, 11, against the stop pin, 13, I have rovided a lever, 26, WhlCh 'iS pivoted on ug, 27, attached to the under side of the top plate, 2. The long end of the lever, 26, is adapted to press against the armature, 11, when pressure is applied to the short 'end of the said lever by the screwing down of the screw, 19. IVhen the screw, 19, is withdrawn and broken off as already explained and shown in Fig. 3, the lever, 26, will swing down to a nearly vertical posi tion due to the weight of the long arm of the lever.

It ,will be seen that this device will operate equally well as arranged in Fig. 2 as in Fig, 1 and that the device is simple and efficient. .It is not absolutely necessary to use a headed screw, although this is a standard article and would be much cheaper than any special screw.

do not limit myself to the screw as shown in the drawin as any means for liftin the armature w ichmay be operated 0lltSl6 of the case and after its function is performed may be rendered inoperative, may be employed without de arting from the spirit of my invention. 1

some other part of the moving system of the relay and at the same time support the armature, but I consider from a strictly mechanical point of view that the armature should be engaged at about its center and forced against the stop pins, thus preventing undue stress on the hinges or other delicate parts.

-What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1'. In an instrument of the class described, the combination ofamagnet and support for same; an armature for the magnet; said armature being inclosed by a-suitable casing; a means projecting from the outside to the inside of said inclosing case through a suitable opening; said means being adapted to hold the armature immovable; said means provided with a sealing portion by the operation of which said opening may e closed 2. In an instrument of the class describedthe combination of a magnet and support for same; an armature for the said magnet contact fingers actuated by said armature a suitable casing for incloslng said armature and contact fingers; a. means projecting from the outside to the inside of said inclosinp case through a suitable opening for prevent ing the armature and contact fingers from moving and for releasin same; a sealin portion forming a part 0 said means whicg: will close the said opening when the contac fingers have been released.

3. In an instrument of the class described the combination of a magnet and support for same; an armature for said magnet; sealed inclosure for said magnet; a screw passin through the opening in said inclo sure; t e head of said screw adapted to con tact with the underside of the armature and hold it firmly and rigidly in position; a por tion of said screw adapted to seal the open ing in said inclosure; said screw provide with a means for being broken off after the. armature has been released and the opening has been sealed.

4. In an instrument of the class described also wish it understood that the armature holding de-. vice,.19, can be arranged to engage with to release the said armature and to seal the opening through which the said means protects; said means rovided with a portion by the operation of which it will render inoperative said armature holding and releasmg means after the sealing of said opening has been accomplished.

5. In an instrument of the-.class described, {:he combination of a magnet and support or same; an armature for the magnet, said qrmature being inclosed within a sealed casmg; a screw device entering the said casing through a suitable opening and operative from the exterior of said casing; said device adapted to hold the said armature immovable, to release the said armature and to plug the said opening after releasing the said armature; with means for expeditiously preventing the after use (f such screw device after said plugging has been accomplished.

6. In a device for pre venting derangement of parts, the combinatio :1 of a relay in which the armature and othe' movable parts are inclosed in a sealed caning; of means projecting from the interior of the casing and operative from the exttrior only, for holding the armature and ither movable parts stationary and for rele: sing the said armature and parts when desired, and for sealing in the interior of the casing the opening through which the said holding means pro- 'ects; and means for )reventmg the said olding and releasing n eans from again bein operated, by detaching the end of the ho din and releasing 11 cans which projects from t e interior of the casing.

In testimony Whereo: I have aflixed my signature in presence 01 two witnesses.

HERBE RT B. TAYLOR.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK W. C LMEBON, Lo'rrm Pinon. 

